Home Again
by Lynnlee22
Summary: Who says you can't go home again? A Kelly/Joey story
1. Chapter 1

She cursed as she swept up the broken glass. Shattering the picture hadn't made her feel any better, and even worse now she was stuck cleaning up the mess. Bending over, she picked up the photo, and clenched her hand tight around it. She pitched it in the trash—where it belonged. Her entire marriage was trashed, but in truth she'd never had much of a marriage. She'd married Brian, not because she loved him, but because she liked him enough and he was a good man from a good family who would and could take care of her—at least that's what she thought at the time.

They had similar interests, similar career goals, and similar dreams. Both shared a passion for their work at the advertising firm in New York City, and Brian respected her devotion to her work—a quality that other men she'd dated had found to be a deterrent to a committed relationship. In truth, they lived separate lives together, but she didn't realize just how far apart they'd grown until this morning. She'd walked into his office to ask him about the charity event they were supposed to attend and she'd found him…with her. So much for it being just business, she'd scoffed and stormed out. He didn't even go after her. He didn't even care that much.

It hit her as she zipped her final suitcase that she hadn't shed a tear. Pausing for a moment, she realized that Brian cheating on her was more of an embarrassment than anything else. Theirs was a marriage of convenience, and little else. Sighing, she grabbed her bags and began to load them into her car. It was going to be a long drive home.

* * *

Kelly sat in the car for a moment looking at the house where she'd spent so many nights. Her aunt had always been there for her no matter what came up…no matter what mistakes she'd made, she always had somewhere to come, somewhere to call home. Coming back to Llanview certainly wasn't in her plans, but now after what happened, she couldn't show her face in the office on Monday. She didn't think she'd ever be able to walk back in there..not after everyone knew…not with everyone giving her those looks. Some were of apathy, others were of guilt, and still others were of pity—those were the ones she hated the most. She walked up to the front door and rang the bell, happy to see Dorian flitting past the housekeeper to greet her.

"Kelly, sweetheart, I'm so glad to see you." Dorian wrapped her arms around her and placed her hands on her shoulders to take a good look. "You look beautiful…far too beautiful to be hurting over some foolish man."

Kelly smiled. Aunt Dorian always knew just what to say. "Thank you. It's really good to see you too." She stepped inside, looking around, noting small changes, but nothing too drastic.

"I've got your room ready," Dorian said, as she stepped into the living room. "Do you need anything, dear? Would you like some tea? Something to eat?"

"No..No..I'm fine," Kelly insisted, as she sat on the couch, watching as her bags disappeared up the stairs as if by magic. Dorian had always employed plenty of help in the house, but Kelly had never really appreciated them as much as she did at the moment. She was exhausted. The drive had been long and tedious and she'd never been so glad to be back in the comforts of home.

Dorian appeared in a moment with ice cream and rum. "Thought this make you feel better," she said with a smile.

Kelly laughed, "Thanks," she said, tearing up a bit. "I've really missed you."

The two spent the next few hours talking and catching up. Kelly spilled all the sordid details of her marriage to Brian. She explained how she'd found him with his broker in his office…and how he'd seem ok with her leaving. Dorian had sat, listening….

After a while, Dorian quietly questioned, "You know, you haven't asked me."

"Asked you what?" Kelly asked, taking another spoonful of ice cream.

"About him…"

"Him, who?" Kelly feigned innocence. In truth, she knew exactly who Dorian meant…it was who they always talked about…every time Kelly called home to check in, every time she called to wish her a Merry Christmas, Happy Birthday, or a Happy Mother's Day.

"Ok," Dorian said with a sigh, "I won't push."

"Fine.." Kelly said with a sigh, "How is he? How's Joey?"

* * *

Dorian smiled. "She keeps him busy."

"That's good," Kelly sighed. "I'm glad he has someone. I'd hate to think he was alone. Aubrey hurt him so badly."

"She did," Dorian agreed, "But he's moved on. He really loves her and you should see them together…it's really beautiful. Joe was always a sweetheart, but seeing him with her…it's something else entirely."

Kelly smiled. "I can't wait to see him. It's been too long…and I can't wait to meet her."

"You should see him…Don't count yourself out, sweetheart." Dorian locked eyes with her niece. She knew Kelly had never stopped loving Joey, and in truth, she didn't believe he'd ever stopped loving her. No matter where she went, or who he took up with…that passion had never been duplicated.

Kelly shook her head. "I don't want to disrupt their lives. They don't need that right now."

"What about what Joey wants? What he needs? Doesn't he deserve a chance to find his happiness?"

Kelly smiled at her aunt. "You don't think he's happy now?"

"Of course he is," Dorian sighed, "But you could make him happier." She watched as her words sank in with Kelly. "Just promise me you'll think about it."

"I promise. I'll think about it." She stood and leaned to kiss her aunt on the cheek. "I'm exhausted. I think I'm going to head up to bed for now."

Dorian nodded and walked her niece climb the steps to her room. She smiled to herself. Somewhere inside she'd always believe Kelly and Joe were meant to be together.


	2. Chapter 2

"You know sweetheart, when you watch people and they don't know you're watching them, admiration can quickly turn to stalking." Dorian smiled as Kelly turned around to smirk at her.

"Very funny," she smiled as she kissed her aunt on the cheek. "I'm just trying to get up the nerve to go over and say hello. They look so content together."

Dorian sat down at the table, blocking Kelly's view. "I'm sure he'll want to see you. He asks about you, you know."

Her eyes widened at the information. "Really? He does?"

"Of course he does, sweetheart. Joe has already cared deeply about you. He's very concerned with how you're doing."

Kelly nodded and took a deep breath. "Guess it's now or never, huh?"

Dorian patted her hand. "Go get him." She watched her cross the room over to Joey's table and smiled. This could be the beginning of a new life for her niece and she couldn't be happier.

* * *

"You weren't kidding when you said you were hungry?" Joey said, eyeing the almost empty plate.

"Told you," Emma said, smiling up at him. "I was hungry. Who's that?"

"Who?" Joey asked turning around in his seat. "Kelly?" he gasped, his voice raised more that he realized. He jumped up and threw his arms around here. "What are you doing here?"

For a moment she didn't speak. She simply allowed herself to stay in the comfort of his arms. For the first time since she'd walked into Brian's office, her world felt safe and stable, but then she always felt that way in Joey's presence. He knew just what to say and do to make everything ok for her. He always had.

"Long story," she said quickly, looking into his eyes and then back at the girl sitting at the table. "Another time. Besides, you haven't introduced me to your breakfast date here."

Joey took a step back. "That's right. You two haven't met. Kelly, I'd like you to meet Emma, my daughter."

Kelly knelt down by the table and extended her hand, "Hi, Emma. My name is Kelly. I'm a friend of your Daddy's from a long, long time ago." She smiled as she looked at the little girl. While it was clear that Aubrey had left her mark with the blond hair and petite features, the eyes were all Joey's..and then there was that smile. She'd recognize that smile anywhere.

"She's Daddy's very best friend in all the world," Joey said smiling at Emma and then looking back at Kelly. "I can't wait for you to get to know her, but," he reached down to grab her bag, "For now, you've got to get to school. I see Mary is over by the elevator waiting for you."

Emma stood still as Joey gently helped her with her backpack. "Have a good day, sweetie," he said, leaning in for a quick kiss on the forehead. He watched her make her way to the elevator as he waved to Mary.

Kelly was the first to break the silence. "She's really beautiful, Joey. I can tell how much you love her."

Joey looked back at Kelly. "She's the best thing that's ever happened to me. She's the only good thing that came out of me and Aubrey…it's just..it's hard doing it all alone, you know."

Kelly nodded. "Does she know about Aubrey?"

"She knows that her Mom is away—that she did a bad thing and that she's being kept in a place so that she can have time to think about the bad things she did." He paused for a moment before saying anything else, and then continued. "How else do you explain to a five year old that their mother is in prison for embezzlement?"

"I'm so sorry, Joey."

"Don't be. You tried to warn me. If anything, I should be apologizing to you…for not listening to you…for pushing you away. Anyway, let's not talk about this anymore. Tell me about you. How are things in the Big Apple?"

Kelly averted her eyes, a clear indicator that everything was not well.

"Kel," he said, the concern evident in his voice, "What's wrong?"

"You might as well hear it from me," she said with a sigh, "Brian and I aren't together anymore. I caught him with his broker in his office. I left. It's over." She realized how succinctly she'd summed up their marriage and shook her head. How could she have been so stupid?

* * *

"Wow," Joey responded, as he turned over Emma's unused coffee cup and filled it. He pushed it over towards Kelly. "I'm sorry. That's.." He searched for the right words. "That's tough."

Kelly nodded, taking a sip of the steaming liquid. "Yeah. It is. I guess it just wasn't enough for him…I wasn't enough for him," she said, forcing a small smile.

He reached over to take her hand. "I'm sure that wasn't it."

"I wouldn't be too sure," she whispered, "She was everything I wasn't, Joey. The antithesis of me…completely polished, dark hair, dark eyes, killer body…the works. Guess he just traded up." She sighed, sitting the cup down. In truth, she'd known she wasn't the type of woman Brian normally dated—in fact, she'd been stunned when he'd asked her out in the first place.

She glanced up, surprised to see Joey staring at her. "What?" she said, slightly unnerved by the direct eye contact.

"You listen to me, Kelly Cramer….if this guy let you walk out of his life, he's an idiot that doesn't deserve you. You can't trade up when you've got the top of the line." With those words, Joey stood pulling a bill from his pocket. He leaned forward for a quick kiss on the cheek and then disappeared in the elevator.

Kelly sat for a moment, her hand touching a cheek where his lips had been seconds ago. She was too stunned to speak. Maybe coming home wasn't such a bad thing after all.

* * *

Joey sat at his desk, looking over the print copies for the day. He'd been staring at the same page for nearly half an hour and yet he'd not made a single note…at least not a note that made any sense.

Standing up, he walked across the room to the water carafe. He poured himself a glass and took a long sip. Kelly Cramer was back in Llanview. He'd asked Dorian about her every chance he got. After Aubrey left, he'd foolishly thought that Kelly would come back—give him another chance, and when she didn't, he resigned himself to the fact that he'd lost her forever. Now, she was here…again. He'd been sitting across from her just moments ago.

Time had been kind to her. Her features had softened slightly, but when she smiled at him, it was as if nothing had changed. He could still see the sparkle in her eyes when she looked at him. It made his heart beat faster. She didn't know it, but he'd spent many nights dreaming about the moment when he could touch her again..and it happened this very morning. God willing, it would happen again and again.

* * *

Kelly let out an irritated sigh as she clicked away at her laptop's delete key. It was pretty pathetic when she couldn't even make herself sound appealing on paper. Sending out resumes at this point in her career was a low point for her, and doing it in Llanview of all places, made her feel ever worse. The sound of the doorbell chiming was a welcome distraction as she sat the laptop on the coffee table and rose to investigate.

Joey's smiling face greeted her with Emma in tow.

"Hi," she said, looking from Joey down to Emma. "What brings you by here so early?"

"It's a staff development day," he explained, glancing down at Emma, who shuffled her feet shyly. "Emma was supposed to have a play date with Ryder, but he's got strep throat, so," he sighed, indicative of a rough morning, "Starr graciously agreed to keep Emma and let her have a fun day with Hope…Isn't that right Em?"

Emma looked up, her face unenthused. "Hope thinks she's a grown up. She's too big to play," she said, sticking out her lips in a pout.

Kelly smiled looking up at Joey.

He knelt down to Emma's level. "Come on, Em. Daddy can't miss work today. I've got a really, really important meeting and I've got to be there. Just stay here with Starr and Hope for a little while and I'll be back in a few hours, ok?"

Emma sighed, "Ok," she relented, though she was clearly unhappy. She trudged in through the front door, finding a seat on the sofa in the living room. Her eyes shone with possibility of tears, but she bit her lip to keep them from falling.

"I hate leaving her upset," Joey said, looking in at her. "She's really attached to me…I don't know..I guess when I'm all she's ever known…"

Kelly nodded. "It makes sense." She looked back at Emma, who now allowed a crocodile tear to slide down her face. She quickly brushed it away as she realized Kelly had seen it.

"Maybe I can help," Kelly said, smiling back at Joey.

"Be my guest," he smiled.

She walked over to her purse and pulled out her wallet. Flipping to a picture, she sat down beside the little girl, who was clearly interested in what she had to show her.

"See this little boy?" she asked her.

Emma nodded.

"That's my son. That's Zane."

Emma looked up at her. "You have a little boy? Is he here?"

"Well, he's not really a little boy any more. This picture was taken a long time ago, but he's not here with me on this trip. I don't get to see him a whole lot..and even when I do, do you know what he never..ever wants to do?"

"What?" Emma asked.

"Play tea party," Kelly said with a smile.

Joey watched them from the doorway with a smile on his face. Only Kelly could pull Emma out of this mood. She was understanding enough to know just what to say, and fun loving enough to be able to pull this off. She was perfect…in fact, he didn't know why he hadn't called her in the first place.

"He's a boy," Emma said, giggling a little.

"You're right," Kelly sighed, "And I don't have any little girls, but," she looked at Emma with a smile, "since you're here today…and so am I…you think maybe we could have a tea party?"

Emma's eyes widened.

"We could go get pretty dresses and do our hair and put on makeup. We could stop by the bakery and get some little cake squares and then come back and be all ready for our party." She smiled as she watched Emma's eyes light up.

"And then," she exclaimed, "Daddy will be home to have tea with us."

Kelly could barely stifle a laugh, as she glanced up at Joey. "Oh, sweetie…I don't know if Daddy really…"

Joey walked over kneeling in front of them. "I'd love to…how lucky am I? I get to have a tea party with the two prettiest girls in Llanview."


	3. Chapter 3

He heard them before he saw them. The giggles carried down the stairs and echoed all through the foyer. The sound of his daughter laughing had always brought a smile to his face, but the sound of Kelly's laugh, a sound he hadn't heard in so many years, evoked a feeling in him he couldn't even describe.

He peered in through the crack in the door, careful to be quiet as not to be discovered just yet. Emma sat on the small stool, dressed in a pink ankle length dress that Kelly had clearly purchased just for her. Her blond hair was up with ringlets curled around her face. Joey smiled as he saw the bracelets she wore and the strand of pearls that he recognized as a gift he'd given Kelly years ago. Emma was in pure heaven. He hadn't seen her this content with someone other than him in….well…ever.

Kelly wore an emerald green dress that he'd never seen before. He was certain she hadn't purchased the dress for the occasion, but it didn't matter. She was stunning. Her eyes seemed to sparkle as she laughed along with his daughter. He stood for a moment, quietly watching them, thinking about her perfect it looked…how perfect it could be if…

"Joey," Kelly exclaimed, looking up and spotting his face in the doorway. "What are you doing lurking out there? Did you think you were going to sneak off without joining us?" Kelly smiled as she opened the door wider and took him by the hand.

The mere touch of her hand made him flush, and for a moment he was afraid she'd notice, but if she did, she didn't let on. She led him back to their small table and playfully displayed their spread of finger foods and treats.

The three sat and talked, laughed, and ate for hours—simply enjoying each other's company. When they all agreed that the tea party was over, Joey looked over at Emma, who hadn't stopped smiling all afternoon.

"Did you have a good time today, sweetie?"

Emma nodded. "We had so much fun, Daddy," she chattered. "Kelly took me to the mall and bought me this dress and then we got shoes and we got our fingernails all painted and our faces made up and everything." She held up her hands for his inspection, and stepped really close to Joey, leaning her face towards his so he could see all the makeup that had been applied.

"Beautiful," Joey said with a smile.

"Show him yours," Emma said to Kelly.

"Oh," Kelly, said smiling. She held up her hands.

"Very nice," Joey said, with a smile laugh.

"No, you've got to get really close…he can't see real good..he has glasses he wears sometimes when he reads."

Kelly laughed then and stepped closer to Joey. She was mere inches from him and the close contact made her breath catch. She could feel his warm breath on her skin.

"Daddy?" Emma said, interrupting the moment. "Don't you like Kelly's makeup?"

"Beautiful," Joey managed, brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face. "You always were," he whispered.

* * *

They both stood silently staring at each other for a moment, neither of them willing to step away, yet neither of them willing to make another move. Emma's voice interrupted the moment between them.

"Can I have another cake square, Daddy?" she asked, picking up the last piece of the thickly iced treat.

Joey smiled at Kelly and stepped back. "Sure, honey," he replied, helping Kelly as she began to clear things off the table. "I'm pretty sure dinner is pretty much shot anyway."

"Sorry," Kelly said, glancing up at him sheepishly.

"Don't be." He reached across the table and took her hand. "What you did today…making her so happy. I can't thank you enough for that."

Kelly looked down at the table. "It was nothing, really. I had a good time. She's a great kid."

"It wasn't nothing. It meant a lot…to me and to Emma. Listen…uh..tomorrow night Emma is going to the movie with a friend from her school. Why don't you let me take you to dinner…you know as a thank you for your help today."

"You don't have to do that," Kelly said softly.

"I want to. Come on…don't tell me I'm good enough for your tea party, but I'm good enough for a dinner?" He smiled at her, that familiar playful twinkle in his eye tugging at her heart.

"I'd love to," she smiled.

"Great," he said, standing as he put the last of the disposables in the trash bag. "I'll pick you up at 7."

Kelly nodded.

"Come on, Em. We better get going. You've got to get up early for school tomorrow."

Emma scrunched up her face. "Do we have to go now?"

"Yes, now." Joey answered, raising his eyebrows at her. "If we hurry, we'll have time for a story before bed."

Emma smiled. "Will you tell me the one about the princess in Paris?"

Joey smiled at her, "Sure," he said, looking up at Kelly.

Emma looked at Kelly. "The princess lives in Paris in a castle," she said smiling at her. She giggled, "Her name is Kelly too."

"How about that," Kelly said, smiling up at Joey who blushed a little. "See you tomorrow," she said, as he walked down the steps and out the door.

Joey nodded, still a little too embarrassed to speak.

"Bye, Emma" Kelly called out.

As the door shut, Kelly let out a deep breath and leaned back against the wall. Tomorrow night would be a very interesting evening.

Friday Night—Kelly's Room

Kelly stood back, looking into her closet. She pulled out a smart blazer and an a-line skirt to match and held it up. "This isn't a job interview," she hissed as she placed them back on the rack.

Each article her hand touched had a different reason for being the wrong thing. Too dressy, too obvious, too plain, too buttoned-up, too playful, too casual. Her hand stopped at the little black dress in the back of the closet. "Here you are," she said with a smile, pulling it out. "You'll be perfect."

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Joey rang the doorbell. He'd ditched the flowers at the last gas station he passed. It had been too much, he thought. He didn't want to scare her. The last thing she needed after coming out of a bad marriage was her old boyfriend mooning over here, expecting her to be ready to pick up where they left off. Actually, though, that was part of the problem, they didn't really leave off anywhere. There were so many unresolved issues, so many feelings left to explore, so many things he wanted to say…so many things he wanted to do.

"Stop it," he said, his voice ringing out in the clear evening air. "She's going to see you standing here mumbling to yourself and she'll think you're crazy. You'll be in St. Anne's instead of in her arms." He gathered his courage and headed towards the front door.

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"Oh God," Kelly said to the reflection in the mirror. "That was the doorbell. He's here. He's actually here." She'd had her hair up and down and then up again. Now, simply because she'd ran out of time to change her mind, it was down. Her black onyx and diamond earrings dangled from her ears and the diamond drop necklace that Joey had given her for Valentine's Day years ago draped across her neck. She touched it lovingly, wondering if he'd recognize it. She had everything he'd ever given her. Every gift…every letter…every memory. Especially the memories…those were the most precious to her.

She grabbed her purse from the bed, took a breath and hurried down the stairs. Dorian stood on the landing waiting for her.

"You didn't answer the door?" she hissed.

"I'm not the face he wants to see, darling," Dorian cooed. "You go open the door. He'll be much happier to see you than me. Go on…you look beautiful."

Kelly smiled, leaning in for a quick hug. "Thank you," she said softly before making her way to the door.

When the door opened, Joey felt his breathing stop. He'd swear for a moment his heart did too.

"Wow," he said, grateful he'd decided on the suit instead of the khakis. "You look amazing."

Kelly felt her face flush. "So do you," she said quietly. "You ready to go?"

"Absolutely," he said, taking her hand and leading her towards his car. He smiled back at Dorian who waved to him from the door. This, he thought, would be a very interesting evening.

* * *

Kelly sat in the passenger seat as she watched the familiar eating establishments pass by.

"Uh, Joey….we are eating tonight, right?" She smiled at him.

"Of course we are," Joey replied, a knowing smile playing upon his lips. "I'm just switching things up a bit. I figured instead of the Palace we'd try somewhere a bit different. There's this little Italian place right outside of town that I think you'll really like."

"Oh," she smiled, "What time is Emma coming home?"

"Didn't I mention that? Emma's spending the night with her friend tonight. We've got the entire evening." He glanced over at her and swore he saw a smile creep across her lips.

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The restaurant was small, but intimate. A few couples filled the tables which were adorned with candles and flowers.

"So," Kelly began, after they'd ordered and the waiter had filled both of their glasses with wine, "You know what has been happening in my world, but I don't know a whole lot about your life. What's been going on with you the past six years? Broken any hearts?" She smiled. She couldn't imagine Joey being alone all these years. She knew Aubrey had been arrested shortly after Emma's birth which meant that Joey had been alone nearly five years. Surely in all those years there had been someone.

Joey cleared his throat. "I've dated a couple of times, I guess. Nothing serious. With Emma, I just wanted to devote my time to her…and I never really met anyone that made me want to consider anything else. There was never anyone that I felt like I'd be willing to bring into her life."

Kelly nodded. "You've done a great job with her. She's a great kid. We had a really great time yesterday."

He smiled. "She talked about you all the way home. Kelly this…Kelly that. You have a friend for life."

"It was no trouble, really. She's an easy kid to be around. I can see why you're so in love with her. Makes me wish I didn't…" Kelly stopped herself then, smiling up at Joey. "Never mind."

"No…Come on Kelly. It's me. You can tell me anything. You know that. You wish you didn't what?"

Kelly glanced over at the waiter, grateful for the disruption. He placed the plates in front of them, asking if they needed anything. Joey was quick to dismiss them.

"This looks great, doesn't it," Kelly chattered, trying desperately to avoid the subject she'd inadvertently brought up.

"Don't do that, Kel," Joey said, with a smile, "You can't do that with me. I know you're trying to avoid the subject. There's something you don't want to tell me and I want to know what it is."

Kelly sighed. "Ok…It's a long story."

"I've got all night," Joey said, reaching over and touching her hand lightly, "And I really want to know. I care…you know that."

She looked in his eyes and she saw what she always saw. Love and concern….something she'd never seen with Brian. She nodded and began to speak. The words would not be easy, but she knew that somehow Joey would make it easier.

* * *

"Brian and I…when we met..we were both really involved in our careers."

Joey nodded. "I know how much you love your work and you're great at what you do. There's nothing wrong with that."

"Right…well, Brian actually understood that too. I had dated a few other people and most guys didn't like the fact that I was married to my job, but with Brian, it was actually a good thing because he was too. We understood that in each other…the thrill of the work…the way the career accomplishments made us feel. We built our relationship on that common goal." Kelly paused for a moment to look at Joey.

He smiled at her and nodded, urging her to continue.

"Anyway, we'd been dating for a quite a while and lots of people were asking us when we were going to make it official. Our friends, our co-workers, his parents…everybody wanted to know why we weren't engaged…why we weren't getting married, so one day I asked him. I wanted to know if we were just killing time."

"Seems like a logical question," Joey responded.

"Yeah, I thought so….and he really honest. He told me that he didn't want to settle down and have a family and kids. He said that he wanted to have a life with me and that he loved the time we spend together, but that getting married meant certain expectations."

"He thought you'd expect certain things from him once you got married?" Joey didn't understand. It didn't make sense.

"Brian knew that I had mentioned wanting to have more children and he didn't want children, but he also knew that I didn't ever want a child of mine to go through what Zane did. I'd told him that if I ever had another child it would be when I was settled and married. He knew that if we got married.."

Joey nodded as it began to make sense…..Brian thought if they got married, Kelly would want to have a child.

"Anyway, he basically gave me a choice. We could get married. We'd have a life together. We'd support each other in our careers and have a wonderful relationship, but he didn't want any accidents along the way."

"He didn't want you to get pregnant?," Joey said, making sure he understood.

Kelly nodded. "Right, and he said that there was only one way to make sure it wouldn't happen."

Joey looked at her. "He had a…" Joey stopped then..not finishing his sentence. He didn't need to as he saw her eyes well up with tears. "Kelly," he said softly… "You.."

"At the time, I thought we'd be together for the rest of our lives and that it would be enough…and now…" She reached up to brush away her tear that fell from her eye and took a deep breath.

Joey reached out and took her hand. "But those things…they can be reversed. They do that sort of thing all the time, right?"

"With my history…I doubt it. The doctor was pretty clear that it was unlikely I'd ever be able to conceive again…even if I had the procedure reversed."

"Kel," Joey said softly, stroking the top of her hand with his thumb. "There's nothing you can say. It's done now." She looked up at Joey, forcing a smile. "Come on…let's eat. This looks delicious and it's getting cold."

* * *

Joey watched her as she ate. They talked politely through dinner, but he could tell she was holding back. It was as if talking about her life with Brian has killed the spark that had been there. She seemed sad…hopeless…defeated.

As they walked to the car, Joey draped his arm around her, feeling her stiffen slightly. "You want to get a cup of coffee?" he asked her, his eyes drawing her closer to him.

Kelly couldn't help but smile. She knew what he was doing. He could tell the conversation from earlier had taken its toll on her, and he was trying as best he knew how to make her feel better. "Sure," she said, looking up at him. "That would be really nice."

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She looked over at him in surprise as the pulled down the driveway.

"I thought we were going for coffee?" she said, the confusion obvious in her voice.

"We are…at my place," Joey said with a smile.

"You're not staying with your father anymore?" Kelly said, surprised. It's not really that she expected him to live there forever. It was just that she was a little shocked that Joey had chosen now to seek his complete independence. After everything with Aubrey, she would have thought he would have appreciated some extra help with Emma.

"I thought it was time," he said softly. "And besides, I wanted Emma to know what a real home was like…something that was all ours…not a mansion with butlers and cooks and a million other people rattling around."

Kelly nodded, looking away for a moment. "So, you never really explained, why you brought me here."

"Look," he shifted in the seat, turning off the ignition and looking at her. "I want us to be able to talk…really talk…like we used to. I don't want you to worry about who hears you or what you look like or what you're supposed to say. I just want you to tell me the truth."

Kelly was silent for a moment. "I think we're a little old for truth or dare." She smiled at him, letting him see her sense of humor returning.

Joey touched her face softly, "You're right. We're a little too old for games. Let's make it real this time. Let's be honest with each other—it really counts now."

Joey climbed out of the car and walked around to open her door.

"Come on," he said, taking her hand, "You in?"

"Absolutely," she said, smiling as the two walked up towards the house.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Just make yourself comfortable," Joey called from the kitchen.

Kelly looked around the room. Photos of Emma were everywhere. Joey adored her—that much was obvious. Spying a row of albums, Kelly grabbed one and sat down on the couch, flipping open the cover.

The pages were filled with pictures from Emma's first days of life to her first days of school and everything inbetween. She smiled as the turned the pages.

"Mom says I'm a little obsessive with the camera," Joey said, entering the room with a cup in each hand.

Kelly closed the album, startled by his sudden appearance. "Sorry," she said quickly, "I didn't mean to snoop. I just…"

Joey shook his head, sitting down beside her and handing her a cup. "No, it's fine. There's nothing here you can't see. In fact," he stood up, walking over to the shelf and scanning the albums for a specific one. "Here it is," he said, picking up a thin navy blue bound book. "This one might interest you even more."

* * *

Kelly held the book in her hand, looking up at Joey who stared at her expectantly. She slowly opened the cover, curious as to what the book held.

"I can't believe you kept all these," she whispered, flipping page after page of pictures and photos. The photographs showed them many years ago in a much simpler, happier time—at least it seemed that way now. There were also letters—it seemed to be every letter she'd written him while he was away in Europe. She had everything he'd ever written her as well, but for him to have them…somehow that meant more.

Joey watched as her facial expressions changed, each page bringing about new emotions. As he saw her eyes well up with tears, he gently touched her hand, stopping her progress.

"I didn't mean to upset you," he said softly. "I thought you'd like looking at things..remembering how much fun we used to have together."

Kelly looked up at him, willing herself not to cry. "I do, Joey. I do remember. I remember every second of every minute of every day I spent with you. I remember how incredible it was to be with you….how safe I felt…how special. That's part of the problem."

"I don't understand," he replied honestly.

Kelly shook her head. "I know. It's just that…this girl…in these pictures…I don't know where she went. I don't know what happened to her. I'm not that girl anymore."

Joey smiled, "Kel…neither of us are the same people we were then." He pointed at one of the pictures, "I don't even own that shirt anymore." He peered down at her, looking into her eyes, trying to force a smile.

"Thank God," Kelly whispered sarcastically, rewarding his effort with a small laugh.

"And…I've got a few wrinkles and more than a few gray hairs…We've both changed. We've grown…we've learned, but that doesn't mean that we're different people. We're just different versions of the people in these pictures." Joey looked at her, wondering if his words were getting through.

"I get what you're saying, but look at my life," she said, feeling a tear escaping her eye. "I mean you….you married someone that you loved and you had a child with her. You'll always have that. I've got nothing to show for the last six years. My career is over. My marriage was a lie…and I'll never…" Her voice broke.

Joey took her in his arms, allowing her to sob against his chest. "I know how you feel, Kel. I really do."

Kelly stopped, pulling away. "I'm sorry," she said, wiping her face. "Here I am going on and on about my problems and I wasn't even thinking about everything you went through with Aubrey."

Joey softly brushed away the tears. "It's fine. I want you to talk to me. I want to be here for you…the way you've always tried to be here for me. You can tell me anything..."

Kelly sighed, feeling some of the tension leaving her body. "I feel so stupid," she admitted. "I mean, I guess on some level I knew we didn't have the best marriage in the world…we weren't exactly the traditional couple, but I never imagined he'd….I mean…I don't know what I did wrong."

"Hey, you didn't do anything." Joey took her shoulders in his hands. "You're an amazing person."

"Brian might disagree with you on that. Apparently, I wasn't amazing enough." She looked away from Joey, unable to look into his eyes.

He hated seeing her like this, doubting herself over an idiot who let her walk away. He touched her face, turning it back towards him. "You are anything and everything he could have ever wanted. You're smart. You're funny..not to mention beautiful and strong. You're great with…" Joey stopped, realizing before he continued that being great with kids was probably not an important criteria point for Brian.

Kelly's eyes welled up again. "I gave up so much to be with him," she said sadly. "I just wanted someone to be with…someone to come home to…some that would love me."

"It's ok. You're back now. You're home and you're where you belong." Joey leaned back against the couch, pulling her back towards him so that she could lean into his chest. "You're surrounded by your family and your friends. We all love you."

Joey paused for a moment, considering his words before adding, "I love you, Kelly."

Kelly turned, looking up at him. "Joey," she said quietly.

His fingers touched her lips to quiet her. "You don't need to say anything," he said, smiling at her. "I just wanted you to know how I felt. I know you're probably not ready for anything and that's fine. I just wanted to."

It was Kelly that stopped him then…with a kiss that he'd never expected. Neither of them planned it, but both of them knew—this was one date that wasn't ending with a kiss.


	4. Chapter 4

Sunlight poured in through the window as Joey's squinted to adjust to the changing light. He looked over at Kelly who lay wrapped in the blanket next to him. She was still sound asleep. He glanced at the clock. 7:45. Emma—he was supposed to pick up Emma at 8. He'd never make it in time.

Walking over to the phone, he picked it up, dialing the number.

"You're sure," he said into the receiver, rubbing the back of his neck as he glanced back towards Kelly. "I can be there in a few minutes if it's a problem, really." He listened another moment. "Alright. I'm sure she'll love that. Thank you. I'll see you then."

As he hung up the phone, he noticed Kelly stirring. Returning to her side, he softly kissed her forehead, "Good morning," he said softly.

"Morning," Kelly said, smiling at him, then sitting up sharply when she realized where she was. "Emma? You were supposed to pick up Emma."

"Already taken care of," Joey smiled, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear. "Madison's Mom is taking the girls to get breakfast and then she's going to bring Emma home."

Kelly relaxed, leaning back against the cushions that had been tossed haphazardly on the floor.

"Kel," Joey said softly, "About last night, I…"

"No…I'm sorry," she said, shaking her head to stop him. "This was my fault. I came home in a really bad place and I never should have pulled you into the middle of all my problems. I know you were just trying to be a good friend and I…"

"Kelly." He looked at her, his eyes full of understanding, but also tinged with hurt. "I'm not sorry about last night. Nothing that happened last night had anything to do with trying to make you feel better or about being your friend. Last night was about the fact that I've missed you." He reached out to touch her face, surprised when she pulled back.

"Joey, you don't have to do this." She clutched the blanket against her body as she scanned the room in search of her clothes. "I know that you feel sorry for me and I get it…it is a pretty pathetic story." She forced a smile—desperately trying to save what little dignity she had left. Spying her shirt, she tried to stand.

Joey took her hand, gently pulling her back down. "Stop it," he said, firmly, but still with a gentle edge she recognized. "From the moment you left town, there hasn't been a day that I haven't thought about you—that I haven't missed you, that I haven't wondered if you ever thought about me." He looked at her, making note in the flicker of understanding in her eyes.

"After everything went down with Aubrey, I thought about calling you, but Dorian told me you were with someone…and I didn't want to mess with that. You deserved to be happy. You had a right to move on with your life."

Kelly sighed. "Happy is a bit of a stretch. I can't remember the last time I was happy."

Joey looked at her. "I was happy when I was with you."

"So was I," she said, her eyes burning with tears as she reached for his hand. "I wish we could just start over," she said with a smile.

"Why can't we?" Joey looked at her. "I love you. We could make it work this time."

"What about Emma?" She looked over at a picture of the little girl, her crystal blue eyes shimmering. "What will this do to her?"

"Emma really liked you. You won her over with your tea party. Give her a little bit of time and she'll love you every bit as much as I do." He looked at Kelly. "Come on, Kel. I believe you still feel it. You wouldn't be here if you didn't. Make a life with me. I need you..Emma needs you. We could be a family."

Taking his hand, Kelly smiled. "You'll probably have to come to more tea parties."

Joey leaned in close to her, "I've always secretly had a thing for tea parties."

The kiss was interrupted by the ringing of the phone.

"Sorry," he said as he pulled away.

He picked up the receiver, smiling at Kelly as he spoke, "Hello".

Kelly watched as his smile faded, replaced by a look of overwhelming fear.

"When…where…where are they taking her?" He gripped on to the side of the couch for support.

"Ok…I'll be right there." Joey sat the phone back on the charging station.

"Joey…What is it? What's wrong?" Kelly stood and walked close to him, touching his arm as he stared in silence.

"Emma…there was an accident. The car…they were….the hospital…She…" He looked at Kelly, as if he'd just realized what he needed to do. "I've got to go."

Kelly nodded, throwing her clothing on as quickly as possible. "Of course," she said watching as he threw his shirt on over his head. "Let me come with you," she said, reaching out to him.

"Thanks," she said, still a little dazed. He grabbed his keys from the table.

Kelly reached and took them from his hand. "I'll drive," she said softly as they quickly left the house.

* * *

Joey burst into the ER with Kelly close behind him. Rushing over to the desk, he tried to collect himself.

"I'm Joey Buchanan. My daughter, Emma Buchanan, was brought in a little while ago. She was in an accident. I got a call to come.." He gripped the counter, feeling as if his legs might give way beneath him.

The nurse nodded. "Wait here, sir. I'll get the doctor."

Kelly placed a supportive hand on his back. "She'll be ok, Joey. I'm sure of it."

Joey just looked at her, praying she was right.

The doctor appeared, approaching him and leading him into another room where there was less activity.

"Is my daughter ok?" Joey asked, his voice strained with worry.

"We're still checking her out. Right now I can tell you that she's got a mild concussion. Some bruising on and around her collarbone and neck and a fairly significant laceration on her left arm that will require stitches; however, given the nature of the crash, I'd say she is an extremely lucky little girl."

Joey let out a sigh, as Kelly gently squeezed his hand. "So she'll be ok, right? She's gonna be ok?"

The doctor nodded, smiling kindly. "She should be just fine. A headache should be the worst of it. She'll be sure…perhaps a little confused due to the concussion, but nothing long term. We'd like to keep her overnight for observation, but that's just a precaution. Barring any unforeseen changes, you can take her home in the morning."

"Can I see her?" Joey asked anxiously.

"Not just yet," the doctor explained. They're finishing up their exam. Give them just a few minutes and then you can go in."

"Thank you. Thank you so much," Joey said, reaching out and shaking the doctor's hand as he nodded and walked away.

Kelly watched as Joey sank into the small straight chair in the room. He covered his face in his hands as he took a deep breath. "My God," he whispered.

She reached out for his hand. "You heard the doctor. She's gonna be fine. It's ok."

"No it's not," Joey said looking up at her. "I did this. I should have been at that house to pick her up. If I had been this never would have happened. She could have died, Kelly. I could have lost my little girl because I…" He stopped looking at her and then down at the floor.

Kelly felt her heart fall. "Because of me….Because you were with me."

"Kel," Joey said softly, "I didn't mean it like that."

"No…No, you're right," she said, turning away from him. "You said that you didn't want to get into a relationship because Emma was your top priority and you and I get together and you almost lose your little girl. I get it…I do."

He saw the hurt in her eyes and he hated to see her that way. As wonderful as last night had been, he couldn't help feeling guilty..as if in some way he'd put his daughter second and he was being punished.

"Kelly, please let me explain," he said, as she began to walk away.

"No. Joey. Don't. Look, you need to go be with your daughter. She needs you."

Joey stood up. "How are you going to get home?"

"I'll call a cab," she said quietly, starting to walk out before turning around to look at him. "I'm sorry, Joey. I'm sorry."

With that she was gone. Joey sank back into the chair. He didn't know what to do or whose fault it was. All he knew was that the two people he loved the most in the world were out of his reach at the moment, and he was utterly and completely alone.

* * *

Joey nodded as the last nurse filed out the room. He peered in through the window, bracing himself for what would perhaps be the most difficult moment he'd encountered in a very long time.

"Hi, Em," he said softly, stroking her hair as she looked up at him.

She smiled, surprisingly calm after such an ordeal.

"Hi, Daddy. Where were you?"

It was those words…the words he'd hoped she wouldn't ask. The words that has been echoing in his head over and over since he'd gotten the phone call that morning. He should have been there. He should have picked her up. He had made her a promise and he'd broken it….because he was selfish…because he let his wants…his needs come first. That couldn't happen. It could never, ever happen again.

"Daddy?"

Her small voice brought him out of his thoughts.

"Sorry, baby," he said softly. "Daddy overslept. I'm so sorry. I called Madison's mom as soon as I woke up to let her know what happened."

Emma looked up at him. "Did you go to bed too late?" Her eyes were full of questions but there was no anger in them. She was fine…she was just a little girl, wondering why her Daddy hadn't been there like he promised.

"I did go to bed too late," he said, smiling at her.

Emma giggled a little then stopped. "My head feels funny," she said, her face turning more serious.

"I know it does," he whispered. "The doctor said he gave you some medicine to help you not have a headache. That's why your head feels a little funny, but it will be all better really soon, Em. I promise."

He leaned over to kiss her head softly.

"Daddy?" Emma looked up at him expectantly.

"Yeah, sweetie."

"Do you think maybe we can have another tea party when I get home," she asked, her eyes twinkling a little.

"Sure, baby." He would do anything…absolutely anything she wanted to make up for what happened.

Her eyes fluttered a little, threatening to close. She yawned.

"You need to get some sleep, Em. Why don't you close your eyes and take a little nap. I'll be here when you wake up."

"You need to call Kelly," she said, her voice barely audible. "I like her. I want her to come to all our tea parties from now on, ok?"

Joey felt the tears well up in his eyes.

"We'll see about calling Kelly, ok?"

Emma's eyes opened wider. "No, Daddy. You call Kelly now. I want to make sure she can come. I like her. Don't you like her, Daddy?"

Joey stared at his daughter confused as to what to say. Of course he liked her, he loved her. But his love for her had caused him to do something he swore he'd never do. He'd put his needs ahead of the needs of his child.

"Of course I like her, sweetie. Kelly is very important to me."

Emma smiled. "Good. Call her Daddy. She's even got the right name."

Confused he leaned down to stroke her forehead, "What do you mean, the right name?"

"The princess name. Kelly can be the princess from your story. You can be the prince and Kelly can be the princess….and I'll be the…" Her eyes closed as she drifted off to sleep.

Joey slowly stood and flipped off the overhead light, moving to the other side of the room to sit. His daughter was more perceptive than he'd ever imagined. Kelly was the princess in the story. All the stories of Paris and the adventures back home…they weren't stories at all. They were memories and adventures that he and Kelly had shared together. His daughter saw it—why didn't he? He had for a moment…last night…and then this morning, he'd let her walk away again.

* * *

She certainly wouldn't be looking for work today. One look in the mirror confirmed what she already knew—two nights without sleep was her limit. After she'd left the hospital, she'd taken a cab back home, thankfully managing to avoid Dorian with all her questions. She'd cried for hours before mercifully falling asleep…if you can call it that. She tossed and turned and dreamed. That was the worst of it—those dreams. The dreams where she was still wrapped in Joeys arms, where she could still feel his lips on hers, where she could still feel the warmth of his body next to her.

She softly padded down the stairs hoping to make it to the coffeepot unnoticed. Luck wasn't on her side this morning.

"Well..Well..Well," Dorian said with a smile. "Darling, you're in luck. I was just about to send out a search party. I take it I don't need to ask how your date with Joe went. I noticed you didn't come home that night."

"Don't ask." Kelly walked towards the coffeepot, thankful to see that there was fresh, hot coffee waiting.

"Come now. It can't have been that bad. After all, all nighters can never be that bad."

Kelly looked over at her. "It was amazing. We talked and connected. It was like nothing had changed…and then we…"

Dorian looked at her. "You and Joe?"

Kelly nodded. "And it was wonderful…we both were exactly where we wanted to be..until this morning."

"Sweetie, don't you dare feel guilty about that piece of garbage you left back in…"

"This has nothing to do with Brian. Actually he is the most uncomplicated areas of my life right now. I got a call earlier. He's not contesting the divorce. Our marriage will officially be over in 90 days." Kelly admitted. "This is about Emma." She took a deep breath before continuing.

"Joey was supposed to pick up Emma this morning and we were a little preoccupied, so her friend's mother was going to bring them home after breakfast. Joey got a phone call this morning. There was a car accident."

Dorian's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh my God. Is Emma?"

"She's fine. She's a little banged up, but she's fine," Kelly responded, "But Joey's not. He's beating himself up for not being there and I think he blames me for that."

"That's ridiculous, darling. Joe doesn't blame you for this. There's no way he would."

"No..see…you're wrong about that. He admitted it. He said himself that he let his daughter down because he was with me." Kelly looked down at her cup. She felt miserable.

"He was just upset, sweetheart…and he was worried about his daughter. People say all kinds of things that they don't mean when they're upset."

"Oh, he meant it." Kelly shook her head. "I'll never forget that look on his face. He'll never forgive me for this one, Aunt Dorian." She picked up the cup of coffee and headed back up the stairs.


End file.
